Life's New Reflection
by doctor katy
Summary: Sequel to Shattered Life a glance into the future's of our couple after they have both gained their freedom.
1. The Mirror Image

This is the sequel to my first fic Shattered Life - it's going to be a more fluffy humorous piece with some more angsty scenes coming later I think. I'm still not sure where I'm going with this piece at the moment but any suggestions as well as reviewsare very warmly welcomed.

Disclaimer: The story is mine but the characters belong to Thomas Harris.

I would like to thank my brilliant beta JetNoir for helping me with this fic as well as my other new fic The Fire That Burns In The Night (If there are any Mask of Zorro fans out there go to my bio to read more)

Katy

**Life's New Reflection**

Chapter One – Mirror Image

"Hannibal?"

"Mmm?" The Doctor raised his head sleepily but Clarice saw his eyes were still closed.

"Hannibal," Clarice sounded more urgent this time and began gently tugging at her lover's arm.

Hannibal propped himself up on an elbow and his other hand rested protectively on his wife's rather large stomach.

"What's wrong Clarice?" Hannibal scanned her face quickly with his eyes but his body was still protesting from this early wake up call. A quick glance at the clock confirmed his suspicions that it was barely 3a.m. in the morning.

"Cheese."

Hannibal tilted his head slowly to one side and raised an eyebrow before he repeated her request.

"Cheese, Clarice?"

"Yes, I need some now. Please."

Hannibal sighed before gracefully rising from the bed. There were sometimes even his very patient demeanour was pushed to its limits.

After a leisurely stroll down to the kitchen Hannibal ascended the stairs carrying with him a plate of his wife's desired food. When he re-entered the bedroom he found Clarice sitting up expectantly. She eagerly grabbed the plate and ignoring the crackers on the side began to immediately eat the cheese. Halfway through her third slice Clarice seemed to remember her husband who was still standing by the bed watching her intently.

"Would you like some, Hannibal?" she questioned, although it seemed a half hearted offer.

When the Doctor merely rolled his eyes and climbed back into his side of the bed Clarice appeared to show no disappointment and simply went back to wolfing down her late night snack.

Hannibal's mind briefly wondered if he should add a small sign to the dinner table, 'Beware: pregnant woman. Keep an eye on your food'. At meal times now he only had to leave the room for a minute for something to mysteriously vanish from his plate.

After finishing her cheese, Clarice licked her fingers before depositing her plate on the bedside table. She settled back down next to her husband and promptly fell back to sleep.

Hannibal looked down at his wife and wrapped his arm back around her. He had been able to understand many brilliant psychological theories over the years but pregnant women and cravings were sadly not among them.

It was a bright Saturday morning in Buenos Aires, and the sun was already climbing high in the sky. The light was reflecting off the many windows of an exquisite mansion, which nestles safely between a small hill and line of trees far away from any prying eyes.

Hannibal and Clarice slept on while another member of the household slowly crept towards the bedroom door. Turning the knob as silently as possible she pushed open the solid oak door. Stepping into the room she observed the sleeping couple who were curled up together on the near side of the bed.

The intruder edged closer to the bed, and when she was within arm's reach, gently shook Clarice's shoulder.

In response to this, Clarice turned her head towards her husband and mumbled sleepily, "Han..bal? What time's it?"

The figure next to the bed did not seem to appreciate this reaction.

"Mamma, wake up, mamma. It's the weekend… it's not time to sleep."

Clarice opened her eyes to regard her daughter, who was smiling expectantly up at her. She had her favourite teddy bear clutched in one hand, and the other was still gently nudging her mother's shoulder.

"Marietta," Hannibal's words were half-muffled by a pillow, "What are you doing up so early?"

"Morning papa," The little girl climbed up onto the bed and then moved to sit next to her father. "Morning baby," She turned her head to direct her last greeting towards Clarice.

"What are we doing today papa?" Marietta asked Hannibal who was glancing at the clock noting it was indeed 9:30 in the morning.

"Your mother and I were planning on sleeping for a little while longer but since you have woken us up I suppose we could get up."

"Get up now papa, please," the little girl added the last word hoping her father would agree to her request. Although approaching only her fourth birthday she had been instructed in the importance of good manners since she could talk; and from one parent in particular.

"Marietta, would you like to go shopping today? We need some things for the baby, and I'm sure you need some new clothes." Hannibal was still surprised as the rate by which his daughter was currently growing and no sooner had he bought her something she had grown out of it.

"Oakie doakie, Papa," with that Marietta hopped down off the bed, and ran around to the other side, next to Clarice who was still dosing; "Mamma, wake up. We're going shopping."

Clarice kept her eyes closed but mumbled back to her daughter, "I'll get up in a minute, sweetie. Why don't you go and play in your room for a bit, and I'll be there in a minute."

Marietta nodded, and skipped off dragging her teddy bear behind her.

Clarice sighed and drew the covers tighter around her. "We have to get up Hannibal,"

"Hmm, we do," the Doctor affirmed whilst running his fingers lightly up and down his wife's arms. He leant down and trailed a line of kisses down Clarice's neck.

"You're distracting me from getting up you know."

"I know, but you don't really want to get up right now do you Clarice?"

"Children have short attention spans Hannibal; she'll be back in a minute,"

"I'll lock the door."

Clarice laughed before swinging her legs over the side of the bed and standing up. She turned to face her husband, and noticing his slightly crestfallen expression gave him a quick kiss on the lips.

"Marietta may have a short attention span Hannibal, but she sleeps for fourteen hours or so now. You may not be able to accost me in the morning but you have all evening and all night love."

Clarice walked towards the door and twisted, adding with a grin, "You'll have to just exercise some of your famous self control!"


	2. Watcher

Here is the second part, I hope the slight delay was worth it. I have to thank my great beta JetNoir for helping me with this chapter and I am now quite proud of it as, although there is some subtle tension towards the end, I'm not used to writing such fluffy happy scenes but I am enjoying it.

Disclaimer: the plot is mine but the characters belong to Thomas Harris

**Life's New Reflection**

Chapter Two – Watcher

Ardelia Mapp crouched down silently in the undergrowth. The intense heat from the sun was beating down on her as she moved closer towards the clearing; desperately trying to find a better vantage point.

Raising a pair of high power binoculars, Ardelia slowly adjusted the side dials so that the limousine she was observing came clearly into focus. The Agent had been discreetly following this car since it had left a rather grand, stately mansion on the outskirts of Buenos Aires.

Nearly four years had passed since Ardelia had sat in a car park and let her friend Clarice escape again, she had never given up hope that one day they would meet again. Ardelia understood that although Clarice did not know of the sacrifice her friend had made, a small part of the former-agent may still remember some of the good times they shared together.

Ardelia had always been reluctant to try and find Clarice. She accepted that she would never fully comprehend why her friend had chosen to live with a murderous cannibal. Maybe one of the reasons was that she did not see him in that light.

One of the back doors of the dark limo opened, and Ardelia quickly grabbed the binoculars, and held them up once more.

A figure gracefully stepped out, and when he stood to full height Ardelia zoomed in on his profile. She was almost certain that it was Lecter. His nose still had that imperious arch, and the shapes of his ears were unchanged. However there were definitely differences between this Lecter and the Lecter that Ardelia was used to seeing mug-shots of. His hair was much softer, no longer slicked back, and some greyer streaks were just becoming visible as the sides.

Despite this the Doctor still did not look his true age. He appeared to be much more relaxed as well; dressed in a light coloured silk shirt, unbuttoned at the collar, compared to in his prison jumpsuit.

Hannibal walked leisurely around to the front of the car and bent down to exchange a few brief words with the driver. He then walked back to the rear door, the one closest to Ardelia, and opened it.

Ardelia tried to picture the last time she had seen Clarice. Although at the time her friend was in a hospital wired up to machines she was the same old Clarice, gunpowder mark still present. However there had been a small addition, Clarice had been pregnant with her first child.

The Lecter's, parents? Ardelia didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Would the child ever know of his or her father's unusual culinary habits? She couldn't bear to think about it.

And now today, Palmero had been the limo's destination, a beautiful area in Buenos Aires; containing a collection of forests, lakes and gardens. A family outing perhaps; Ardelia noted how they had chosen to visit one of the smaller, quieter parks. She couldn't believe how normal this felt. A family, albeit a rich one that was incredibly difficult to track down, enjoying the recent good weather.

Ardelia turned her attention back, once more, to the limousine and observed the Doctor reach down and extend his arm, palm facing upwards. A more slender arm then emerged from the car and gripped Lecter's hand. Ardelia watched as, very slowly, a foot, ankle and leg appeared.

Clarice Starling stood tall next to her husband and smoothed down her sundress. Ardelia dropped her binoculars at the site of her. Or to be more accurate at the site of her very pregnant belly; was this child number two?

Hannibal whispered something in Clarice's ear, making her smile, before he leant back down into the car and brought out a moderately sized picnic basket. He handed it to Clarice, and then extended his arm again as he had done for his wife.

This time a very little hand reached out. Ardelia watched the smallest Lecter slide out of the car giggling. Her father knelt down so he was at eye level with her and effortlessly picked her up when she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Keeping one arm wrapped around Marietta, Hannibal turned back towards Clarice, and held the other out expectantly. Ardelia regretted the fact she couldn't hear, but also knew that getting any closer would be a risk.

"Hannibal, I think I can handle carrying the picnic basket." Clarice smiled, "I promise I'm not overexerting myself, so you relax the doctor routine for this one afternoon."

Hannibal raised his eyebrows slightly, but complied with her request. He linked his free arm with hers, and the family made their way to the entrance of the park.

Ardelia waited until Clarice had disappeared from her sight before she moved out, into the clearing, and followed her friend. She took up her next post on the edge of the park, making sure she was fully hidden by the surrounding trees, and plants. Her view of Clarice was still unobstructed, and she watched the couple spread a blanket on the grass while their daughter stood next to them patiently, holding in one hand a rather worn teddy bear.

Ardelia was surprised by how much this little girl resembled her mother. They shared the same shiny red hair, although Clarice's seemed to have been dyed a darker auburn. Both also sported a sprinkling of freckles across their noses and shoulders, which had been exposed the sun.

Hannibal made sure he laid the blanket out far from any other couples who might interrupt their privacy. It was also located in the shade where Clarice could sit and read comfortably.

After settling his wife down on the blanket and handing her a book, that he had removed from the basket, the Doctor went on to retrieve a glittery pink ball. Marietta's eyes light up, and she jumped on the spot clapping her hands together.

Ardelia continued to watch the family. She saw that after a few minutes Clarice's attention drifted away from the book she held, and towards her husband and daughter playing together on the green grass. Marietta seemed to be trying hard to catch the ball her father was throwing gently towards her. So far she had been unsuccessful, the ball clumsily slipping through her outstretched arms.

Ardelia could hardly believe that this was the same man she had seen a video of eating someone's face. A man who now was coaxing his daughter, and offering words of encouragement, showing her how to hold her hands out closer together when he passed her the ball.

With a look of determination on her face Marietta stood, and faced her father. She nodded her head vigorously when he asked her if she was ready. Hannibal threw the ball again, only this time his daughter's hands grasped around it, and held on securely.

Clarice applauded her daughter, who had immediately turned round and announced, "Mamma, I did it."

Hannibal walked up to his smiling daughter and lifted her into his arms. They began walking back to the blanket where Clarice was sitting grinning. Hannibal set his daughter down and then moved to sit behind his wife, who reclined back into his arms.

"Did you see me catch the ball, mamma?"

"I did honey, you caught it really well. I knew you could do it."

Ardelia had to move slightly, as she was beginning to get a cramp in her leg, but her focus still remained on Clarice. The Doctor had now begun to set out plates and cups. Ardelia was not surprised to see that these plates were china, not the paper kind – a typical Lecter picnic indeed.

Clarice was just reaching into the basket, when her outstretched arm shot back and rested on her stomach. Hannibal immediately snapped his head round and looked at his wife with a concerned expression.

"The baby is kicking again," she informed him.

His concern appeared to ebb slightly, but the Doctor questioned her further:

"Are you in any pain, Clarice?"

She shook her head, "No, it's just a little uncomfortable. Marietta, come over here sweetie, and you can feel the baby."

Ardelia looked on, as the little girl moved and sat in front of her mother. Clarice then guided her daughter's hands over her belly, letting Marietta feel her new sibling kicking.

Marietta giggled and then took her hands away. She returned to her own plate of food, and the teddy bear sitting next to it.

Hannibal used this opportunity to rest one hand on his wife's stomach, while the other gently stroked her hair. The baby kicked several more times before settling down again. The couple sat their peacefully for a few minutes more, both thinking of what the future had in store for them both.

Eventually Clarice turned her head so she could regard her husband, whose hands were still wrapped around her comfortingly. Hannibal placed a gentle kiss on Clarice's lips which she immediately deepened.

Marietta glanced back at her parents who were still locked together. '_They are always kissing',_ she thought. When the couple eventually broke apart, Hannibal swept Clarice's hair over one shoulder.

"I love you," he whispered, in a low and intimate tone close to her ear.

Clarice smiled, and leant back against him once more.

"Love you too," she replied. And after a short pause, "Are you going to let me have lunch now? I'm starving."

Hannibal laughed before answering:

"Is there going to be any food left for me today?"

"Perhaps if you're good, Doctor, but I do need the extra calories. I'm eating for two now, remember."

"I know, it is very hard to forget that love," Hannibal said in a matter of fact tone, but the smile tugging at the corners of his lips showed that he was joking.

Clarice gave him a mock frown before replying. "Well I was going to let you share my dessert, but after that remark," she paused, "I don't know if I can forgive you."

"Oh, I'll have to try and figure out a way of making it up to you then, won't I."

Taking advantage of the way her hair was positioned, Hannibal began delicately tracing the outline of his wife's ear with his tongue, before moving down, dropping a line of kisses from her cheek to her pulse point.

"Am I forgiven yet?" he asked.

Clarice smiled again, and tipped her head back to give her husband better access. "You're getting there."

"Getting there?"

"Yes. I can still think of many things you could do for me, but we will have to wait until we get home, I think. I suppose I should reward you for your efforts so far though."

Clarice reached down and picked up a small piece of kiwi fruit from her plate.

"Open," she instructed Hannibal, and he took the fruit, as well as her fingers into his mouth, grinning as he did so.

Ardelia decided now was the time to retreat. Her friend was well. For now. She backed out of the bushes and exited the park.

Unbeknown to her, as well as Clarice and Hannibal, there was another watcher lurking silently in the undergrowth.

And his intentions were much more hostile.


End file.
